ABC News buries Michelle Obama’s gun claim

In an interview with Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts aired this morning, First Lady Michelle Obama recalled the tragic death of 15-year-old Hadiya Pendleton who was shot and killed in Chicago after performing during the President’s Inauguration celebration in Washington D.C.

“She was caught in the line of fire because some kids had some automatic weapons they didn’t need,” the First Lady explained. “I just don’t want to keep disappointing our kids in this country. I want them to know that we put them first.”

Chicago police reported, however, that Pendleton was shot by a man who “opened fire with a handgun before fleeing in a waiting car.”

It is extremely unlikely that the murder weapon was an automatic handgun, an extremely rare occurrence, even in the streets of Chicago. An overwhelming majority of handguns bought and sold in America are semi-automatic. Police officials have not recovered the firearm, but prosecutors stated that the accused attacker shot “at least six times” into the crowd.

About DrJohn

DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
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Except for liberals being foolish.

Zeda F Ruhl

What in the world did she mean by, ” some kids had some automatic weapons they didn’t need?” Why in heavens name would they “NEED” them for in the first place if they were kids. She obviously didn’t give that answer very much thought, as with most of hers and BO’s answers and comments! Pathetic!!!

ilovebeeswarzone

Zeda F Ruhl
yes, why a kid should have any weapon, and shame in
CHICAGO for having so many murders
and so many crimes, they kill each other,
who the hell is in charge in there,
close the streets to kids, all of them.
pick up who dare to be in the street any time,
add the punishments to criminals,
take control of any MAFIA STYLE BEHAVIOR,
IF YOU’RE AFRAID TO DO IT, GET OFF THE JOB
LET SOMEONE WITH GUTS TO TAKE IT.

Greg

“It is extremely unlikely that the murder weapon was an automatic handgun, an extremely rare occurrence, even in the streets of Chicago. An overwhelming majority of handguns bought and sold in America are semi-automatic.”

Assuming Charlie Spiering is reasonably well informed, he ought to know that members of the general public very commonly misuse the term “automatic” in place of “semi-automatic” in connection with firearms. People frequently think of handguns as being either revolvers or automatics–the latter, of course, referring to a handgun having a semi-automatic action. They would describe continuous-fire weapons as being fully automatic or machine guns. We can thank decades of incorrect terminology in books, movies, and on television for this very common error.

Michelle Obama wasn’t suggesting that Hadiya Pendleton was killed by kids with machine guns, nor was she opining that the kids didn’t need machine guns. She was stating that the kids shouldn’t have had any damn guns at all.

If Spiering want’s to argue a serious point, that’s the one he ought to be dealing with. Focusing on a common error in terminology or on whether Michelle Obama’s dress had sleeves or not is nothing more than introducing deliberate static.

DrJohn

Greg

Spiering is emphasizing a very common error in terminology, at the expense of dealing with the actual issue. The fact that people very commonly use a term incorrectly doesn’t mean that they can’t distinguish between a semi-automatic handgun and a fully-automatic machine pistol.

The average person isn’t well-versed in firearm technology. Most people couldn’t accurately describe the difference between single and double action. It doesn’t mean they’re stupid. Only that they’ve had no need to become familiar with it.

Randy

Randy

@Greg: When they are dealing with the safety of me and my family, they have a duty to know the difference or they should shut up! SHooting off your automatic mouth with out knowledge is true ignorance.

bburris

ABC’s excuse is that it was edited for the sake of time; how long does it take to say 19 words, no matter how stupid they are?

Let’s see, did the media edit any statements Palin made that were regarded as inaccurate?

Greg: everyday people may misuse (and misunderstand) the definintion of “automatic” and “semi-automatic”, which is exactly why the term “assault weapon” is bandied about, but Michelle is a White House spokesperson. Either she is using inflammatory language for propaganda reasons, as per the administration play-book, or she is so ignorant of facts that she should simply keep her big horse-mouth shut on the subject. Either way, though, ABC had a responsibility to present the item in full.

johngalt

Gee, what a surprise. Greg, the progressive apologist, comes down on the side of the stupid. I guess we are all just insensitive jerks for calling MO out on her stupid and untrue statement. Never mind, of course, that progressives and gun-control nuts use that kind of inflammatory language constantly, likely in attempts to confuse the average citizen’s understanding of the issue.

What MO did was purposeful and intentional, in my opinion. And if, by some reason, it wasn’t, then she is speaking up about an issue that she knows nothing about, and therefore should keep her big mouth shut. After all, that is what the progressives tell us when we discuss issues such as gay marriage, or immigration, or racial issues, or AGW, isn’t it?